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Advice and support for Village Halls

England’s 10,000 village halls are at the heart of rural community life – providing a hub for social activities, classes and services such as post offices, doctors’ surgeries and shops.

Through its network of skilled advisers, ACRE supports the 80,000 volunteers who run halls and similar rural community buildings, such as church halls and community centres.

These specialist advisers have local knowledge and an understanding of the issues in your area.

Supported by ACRE, they help communities to manage their buildings by:

Providing information, training, advice – both face-to-face and through a range of publications

Building relationships with parish councils and public service partners

Carrying out research that provides detailed data on issues affecting halls.

On the national stage, ACRE speaks up for village halls, ensuring Government policymakers are aware of the challenges faced by volunteers who are often struggling with red-tape and the demands of managing a community building.

Our quality standards scheme for village halls, Hallmark, is available in 20 counties to reward and recognise good practice.

The ACRE Network is one of four partners working with the Charity Commission to provide advice and guidance on land and property issues. ACRE’s model documents for village halls are approved by the Commission including the new Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) constitution for a village hall. The Village Hall Publications are available from your local village hall adviser.

#VillageHallsWeek is a new initiative starting in 2018. ACRE and the ACRE Network will run an annual celebration of the village halls and other community buildings, which exist at the heart of England’s rural communities. The aim of the week long campaign is to champion the diverse range of buildings which make up the 10,000 strong network and promote the sheer volume of services they offer. There will be an opportunity to say thank you to the volunteers who run the buildings and learn more about the groups, organisations, individuals and businesses who are making use of these buildings week in and week out. Predominantly the week will take place on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), however ACRE Network members will also host events to engage with people in their area.

Legal Services

Village Hall Booking Software

In the know

ACRE works with a number of businesses and organisations which support village halls and similar rural community buildings. See our useful links to find out who they are and if they could help your hall committee.

Allied Westminster is the principal supporter of ACRE’s advice service for village halls

VillageGuard® is a bespoke Village Hall insurance policy which is constantly evolving through feedback from Village Hall clients and associated rural community-focused organisations. Many thousands of Village Halls across the country benefit from a personalised service by Allied Westminster - from quotation through policy management. We provide dedicated claims handlers, with claims settlement managed in-house for all but large claims. VillageGuard® is underwritten by AVIVA, the UK’s largest insurer.